Author: Mechi Renee

The BEAUTY of entrepreneurship is that you don’t have to be “it” all, nor do you have to do it all by yourself! There are some tasks that you are sure to welcome the opportunity to pass off to someone else. The key to the idea of ‘taking on the task of attempting to “do it all” lies in knowing when to officiate and when to delegate and pouncing on opportunities for the right help at the right time (and place).

I often advise my coaching clients to take on the task of attempting to do it all through a step by step process. It starts with knowing how to put off procrastination. When you’re finally FINISHED fearing failure you are then ready to move on to the next step of conquering the ‘Super Woman Syndrome’ of attempting to do it all (at least on your own).

You kick this bad habit to the curb by listing your business goals. This process is important as it allows you to “empty your brain” by writing out what you want and why you want it, plus how each item on your list individually aligns with your business and/or professional goals and your current life focus.

Be smart. Determine when and where you (realistically) want to (successfully) invest your time. Be sure it leads new ways of increasing your impact, influence, and income! You achieve this by successfully mapping out tasks that you DO NOT want to do yourself, and building a TEAM of VIPs {Volunteers, Interns, and Personnel}. These are professional (and pre-professional) individuals that you can invest a few hours of training in to help you accomplish your business mission and vision.

Here are 8 quick tips, tools, and tidbits for how to successfully start, sustain, and scale a support team to help you reach that NEXT level with your business goals:

Provide detailed instructions to your VIP team on what a successful project looks like for your business

Have a goal deadline and a project end-of-date in mind before sharing the details with your team

Sync the start and end time of each project with your new VIPs on-boarding and off-boarding dates

Divide lengthy assignments between more than one volunteer, intern, or personnel

Pep things up with a weekly “pep talk” or meeting with your staff to be sure things stay on task

Determine your priority projects beforehand

Get feedback and suggestions from current VIPs on how to recruit even better help and improve your team-building

Create a referral system for your current volunteers, interns, and personnel’s colleagues, classmates, friends and associates to come work with you too! {Remember the saying ‘Birds of a feather flock together’, and if they did great work, there is hope that their friends may too!}

As a final tidbit of (FREE) helpful business advice, let me give you this personal confessional (for you to repeat as often as you like…print it out…post it up in your office!). Repeat after me:

I am a SUPER human, but I am not Super Human.
I know when (and what) to delegate.
I have a current list of my business goals.
I am clear on what I want for my life and my business.
My business and life goals are set.
I have invested wisely in building my support team.
I invest my time wisely to best benefit my business.
I give detailed project information to my support team.
I show my support team how much I appreciate their support.
I assign all projects beginning with a successful end in mind.
I have pep-talks with my team to boost morale and success.
My to-do tasks are prioritized, clear and can be delegated.

Now, Woooooosah! If you have read my last two posts on 12 Ways To Put Off Procrastination AND how to FINALLY Finish Fearing Failing, you can now add to your list of conquerings that you have SUCCESSFULLY defeated one of the TOP 8 mistakes that women entrepreneurs make that keep them BROKE, STUCK, AND STRUGGLING in their businesses: taking on the task of attempting to do it all.

If you need help affirming and inspiring yourself to greatness consistently, click to download your step-by-step guide of the NEW forthcoming book Secrets of A Socialprenista: The PINK Print [sent straight to your inbox on 12.13.14]. It features the TOP 8 Mistakes Women Entrepreneurs Make That Keep Them Broke, Stuck, and Struggling in Their Business and inspiration for the journey!

Andrieka “AJ” Austin is THE Business and Life Coach for women entrepreneurs who are in the sustainability/growth phase of their businesses, need help getting “unstuck”, and looking to increase their social impact, influence, and income! She is passionate about sharing helpful business advice and resources on how to uncover the personal side of professional struggles with other professionistas!

She is the author of ‘Secrets of a Socialprenista™;The Top 8 Dangerous Mistakes That Women Entrepreneurs Make That Keep Them Broke, Stuck, and Struggling In Their Business(Winter 2014).

Every Thursday we have an Ask the Coach session, so feel free to send in your questions and issues that you’d like some help and insight on.

What was the worst Christmas present you ever received? How do you deal with the hurt associated with gift giving?

I would have to say, for me, getting nothing at all and second place would be pajamas that were a size 2x when I was a size 6. I was not able to use that gift at all! I truly believe if you are going to buy a gift for someone, put your thought, energy, and love into it. Don’t give someone something you wouldn’t even want yourself.

Dealing with the hurt is another story. You have to talk to the other person and let them know how you feel. If you don’t say anything, they will never know. At that point, it’s up to them to make a change. I pray that helps!

Yahoo Beauty has featured a parade of awe-inspiring women this year. From entrepreneurs to actresses, to the first woman to cross Antarctica with nothing but her own strength, each has spoken at length about confidence, both what they’ve learned about the invaluable tool and how life-changing even an ounce can be. They’ve rounded up their best quotes—if you take anything into the new year, make it this.

“Having self-awareness is very important, and I think that when you are comfortable with your imperfections no one can make you feel bad about them. I’m at a point where I know that there will always be people who are taller, thinner, more attractive, sexier, more beloved, and adored than I, and there will be people on the other side of that, and once you realize that everybody has that in life you just realize that you can’t go through life wishing I had this or that, and you just have to embrace it.”

“Life is a constant push and pull of being sure of yourself and not being so sure of yourself. I am most confident when I am fully me. When I allow myself to love what I think, when I free myself to do what I want despite what others are saying—that’s power.”

“I have insecurities and doubts, as we all do. But I committed myself to being relentless. If you find something scary, lean into that area and keep doing it. Fight the fear and the lack of confidence. The instinct is to go in the opposite direction, but if you just start doing it a couple of times, it becomes a practice.”

Myth #1: Most women aren’t supportive of other women at work. — FALSE!

Myth #2: Negotiating will make you seem ungrateful or greedy. — FALSE!

Myth #3: You can only have one great career in your lifetime. — FALSE!

Myth#4: The older I get, the further I get from HUGE success. — FALSE!

Myth #5: Successful women are all married to their jobs. –FALSE!

My favorite myth is #3. Look at Vera Wang:

“She started as a professional ice skater, and then spent 15 years as a fashion editor at Vogue. And then became the design director at Ralph Lauren before finally opened her own bridal boutique in 1990 — and becoming the most prominent bridal wear designer in America.”

This just shows us that we don’t have to be stuck doing one thing our entire lives. We can change and grow and evolve and still be interesting, independent, and successful women.

Every Thursday we have an Ask the Coach session, so feel free to send in your questions and issues that you’d like some help and insight on.

I would like to start a business of some kind. I don’t know where to start or what to do. How do I get focused?

Well, congratulations on wanting to start a business! It is a lot of work and very rewarding all at the same time. First things first, you have to determine if your idea is viable. Do some research in your area for other people doing what you want to be doing. Determine if this is something you are looking to do full-time or part-time. When do you want to be in business by? I would say invest in a business coach right away. This person will lead you down the path of success. I am here for you if you need me.